ABU DHABI // Uganda’s ambassador to the UAE yesterday refused to confirm or deny reports he has resigned.
“They say I have resigned but I am here,” said Prof Semakula Kiwanuka, after answering a call to the embassy’s phone number.
He said he was aware of widespread reports in the Ugandan press and on radio claiming he had offered his resignation but insisted these were “misleading” as he was still in Abu Dhabi.
The reports said he had tendered his resignation but it had not yet been accepted by Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni. Prof Kiwanuka refused to comment when asked if this was the case.
He has been ambassador since the embassy opened in 2009.
Ugandans living and working in Dubai last year petitioned the country’s parliament, protesting against what they claimed was neglect by the embassy. The debate over the petition was popular on Ugandan radio talk shows, which often featured the ambassador.
The expatriates also complained that the ambassador spent too much time in Uganda and that the embassy had neglected to help Ugandans in prison.
They expressed anger over excessive bureaucracy in issuing travel documents and said the embassy did nothing to help workers lured to the Emirates by dishonest recruitment companies.
Last week, a five-member delegation from the Ugandan parliament came to Dubai to investigate the complaints and met a group of Ugandans in Deira who were among the first people to sign the petition.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Six things you need to know about UAE Women’s Special Olympics football team
Several girls started playing football at age four
They describe sport as their passion
The girls don’t dwell on their condition
They just say they may need to work a little harder than others
When not in training, they play football with their brothers and sisters
The girls want to inspire others to join the UAE Special Olympics teams
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5